Bitter Truth to hit U.S. shores

Big news for all you cocktail nuts out there: Bitter Truth bitters will become more readily available in the U.S. While one can always order them online from Cocktail Kingdom, it appears that one will soon be able to walk into their nearest speciality store and get Bitter Truth bitters at a reasonable price (as oppossed to the $25 we have to pay for them in Seattle).

Straight from the PR firm’s keyboard:

The Bitter Truth, a brand of cocktail bitters and flavorings, has partnered with Domaine Select Wine Estates’ (DSWE) Classic and Vintage Artisanal Spirits Portfolio to bring their award-winning products to the United States. The first shipment will arrive stateside in mid-January 2010.

Founded in 2006, by mixologists Stephan Berg and Alexander Hauck, The Bitter Truth offers bartenders a broad range of cocktail seasonings and flavors. The products that will be available in the U.S. include the award winning Celery Bitters, Old Time Aromatic Bitters, Orange Bitters, Lemon Bitters, as well as the Bittermens Xocolatl Mole and Grapefruit Bitters. All bitters are priced at $15.95 for a 200 ml bottle. A coveted item by bartenders around the world, The Bitter Truth Bitters can now be purchased nationwide.

“It will be nice to have easy access to these products after searching far and wide with limited availability in the US” commented mixologist H. Joseph Ehrmann, Proprietor of San Francisco’s Elixir. “The quality of their bitters is superior to many products on the market today and more consistent than homemade.”

“Improving the world one cocktail at a time has a new ally in the arrival of the Bitter Truth Bitters in the US. This expansion of commercial, artisanal bitters is long overdue. Thank you!” Brian Miller, Death & Company, New York City

Originally used as a pharmaceutical elixir, bitters were one of the main ingredients in the earliest cocktail recipes. With the resurgence of classic cocktail culture and growth of contemporary mixology, The Bitter Truth’s products have found great favor amongst the best bartenders in the world. The Bitter Truth line of products helps bring complexity to cocktails and are intended to be another tool for bartenders and mixologists to create unique, creative and innovative cocktails.

“Bringing the bitters to America has been our dream,” says Stephan Berg, co-founder of The Bitter Truth, “but finding the right importing and distribution partner has been our greatest challenge. The Classic and Vintage Artisanal Spirits Portfolio has the background in specialty spirits and nation-wide reach that we need in order to make this a success.”

About The Bitter Truth Bitters:

Celery Bitters:The first celery bitters to be commercially produced in decades. This 19th century cocktail ingredient enriches cocktails with unusual flavors.

Lemon Bitters: Gives the liveliness of fresh lemons to every cocktail. Bitter to the taste, this formulation also has notes of coriander seeds and cardamom in the background.

Aromatic Bitters: Classically bitter and tangy. Combining the aromatics of cinnamon, cardamom, anise and cloves, it reminds one of gingerbread.

Orange Bitters: The aroma of bitter orange peel is in the foreground, complimented by the spicy flavors of cardamom, caraway and nutmeg.

Bittermens Grapefruit Bitters: Grapefruit meets with hops to create a fresh, bright citrus note. Best friends with gin and tequila, this bitter plays nicely with fizzy and fruity drinks as well.

Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters: Deep chocolate notes are supported by classic bitter flavors and accented with a hint of spice. Plays perfectly with most dark spirits, rums and tequilas.

The initial U.S. launch will be in 16 states including: California, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Florida, Nevada, Illinois, North Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Washington, Oregon, Maryland, Washington DC, Louisiana and Colorado.

I have a small amount of Cherry Bitters available. I’m just selling them by hand as the labels were not to my liking. I’m reworking the production before I come out with the next flavor: a Boker’s replica.

One quick thing to mention – the bottles that are coming to the states are 200ml bottles, not the 150ml bottles that were in the previous shipments. So, it’s cheaper than the direct-ship pricing AND they’re 33% bigger than before!